Connections 1

DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:

I first saw Connections in the mid-eighties as a teenager. I found it delightfully engaging and influential. I learned a lot from it and it even influenced the way that I think. James Burke is a lively, witty, and engaging host and science writer. It is a must-see series for virtually anyone but especially anyone who is interested in science or history. After having not seen it since the nineties, I was glad to finally buy these DVDs quite recently.
No Blu-Rays are available, by the way, since the program was recorded in the typical way that all BBC programs were at the time, with filmed material telecined to videotape for editing. Since most everything was filmed on location, most everything was originally filmed. But the BBC didn’t tend to retain the original location films as a matter of policy. What survives is by accident. Thus, apparently, only the finished videotape masters of this series exist. If all the original filmed material were found – assuming it still exists – then a high-def version could be made, though the copyright owners are unlikely to wish to go through all that trouble even if it were possible.
However, I’m not concerned with that. I’m more concerned with the fact that no cleanup has been done whatsoever. Contrast and black levels are weak. The black levels absolutely never drop to zero; blacks look dark gray. Dust and dirt abounds on the filmed portions, and there are even some videotape dropouts. The audio quality is quite good, however, and everything is quite clear and easy to hear. Nevertheless, this is an absolutely bare bones release with a relatively high price. Thus, only four stars.
Regardless, this series is an absolute classic that still holds up and is worth viewing in any condition.-

– M. Phillips

I love this series. I bought the series because none of the streaming services carry it (that I could find). James Burke was to science reporting in Britain what Walter Cronkite was in America. He was the BBC face that covered the moon shots. In this series he draws a causal line between some ancient event or invention and some present day item and talks about the consequences of that path Certainly it is well researched. In my opinion it is much better than the subsequent follow up programs, which are often rehashes of this series.

It is getting a little dated visually. The host wears an 1980’s leisure suit, and the “modern” scenes are actually pretty interesting record of the late 1970’s. However, the stories are wonderful.

-soundman

I can’t believe I have these! It is like meeting an old friend after years apart. This series will never grow old. I can watch these episodes again and again and learn something new each time. James Burke had such an impact on me that some of his phrases have become a part of my vernacular; such as “Hardwicke Hall-more glass than wall.”

Burke’s delivery is unique and charming. His only equals are Carl Sagan and Jacob Bronowski–both great teachers. This series must go down as one of the true classics of video history.

– Susan A. Elder

DVD Wholesale Main Features:

Actors: James Burke
Directors: Mick Jackson
Format: NTSC
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Number of discs: 5
Studio: Ambrose Video Publishing, Inc.
DVD Release Date: March 1, 2007
Run Time: 500 minutes